In shortNumber 1 in our ranking is The 23-F coup attempt, followed by World champions in South Africa and The Barcelona 92 arrow.
There are moments that brought Spain to a standstill: days when everyone can say where they were and what they were doing. These are the ten that have marked the country most.
Which moment would you add? Vote below or tell us: the most suggested will make a second part.
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1. The 23-F coup attempt
23 February 1981
Armed Civil Guards burst into Parliament during an investiture vote. The country followed a night of uncertainty on the radio until the King's message in the early hours.
2. World champions in South Africa
11 July 2010
Iniesta's goal brought millions of people onto the streets. Probably the biggest collective celebration in the country's recent history.
3. The Barcelona 92 arrow
25 July 1992
Archer Antonio Rebollo lights the Olympic cauldron with a flaming arrow. The opening ceremony that introduced a modern Spain to the world.
4. The second star
19 July 2026
Spain win their second World Cup with an extra-time goal by Ferran Torres against Argentina. The most searched question on Google in Spain that night: how long does extra time last?
5. The great blackout
28 April 2025
No power, no traffic lights and almost no mobile signal across the peninsula. Battery radios, stopped metro trains and a day no one will forget.
6. The Constitution referendum
6 December 1978
Spaniards approve at the ballot box the Constitution that opened the current democratic era.
7. Expo 92 in Seville
April–October 1992
Millions of visitors, the first AVE high-speed train and Curro the mascot. The year Spain felt it was at the centre of the world.
8. Joining the European Community
1 January 1986
Spain and Portugal join the EEC, today the European Union. The change that transformed the country's economy and roads.
9. The euro arrives
1 January 2002
Goodbye to the peseta. Months of mental arithmetic at 166.386 pesetas to the euro.
10. Hosting the 1982 World Cup
June–July 1982
Spain hosts the World Cup with Naranjito as its mascot. Democratic Spain's first great international showcase.
Frequently asked questions
When was the big blackout in Spain?
On 28 April 2025 a blackout left practically all of mainland Spain and Portugal without power for hours.
Would you change the order?
Tell us what's missing, what shouldn't be here or what you'd put at number 1.